JOHN PETRUCCI About Solo Album: “It’s Something That I’m Just Almost Embarrassed About”

Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci says that he is “almost embarrassed” about not having released a solo album since 2005′s Suspended Animation.

Since the 2010 departure of drummer Mike Portnoy, Petrucci, along with keyboardist Jordan Rudess, has taken on much of the songwriting load for the progressive metal giants, including 2016′s controversial double concept album, The Astonishing, and the recently released Distance Over Time.

In a new interview with The Everyman Podcast, Petrucci was asked when fans can expect to hear a new solo album from him.

“It’s something that I’m just almost embarrassed about, because my first one — only one — was released in 2005,” he responded. “And I do — as people may know, from watching the G3 tours — have plenty of material for that. So, next time I can sit down and get into a studio and I’m not making a Dream Theater record or touring with Dream Theater, I will record music for a follow-up solo album.“

Petrucci told Guitar World magazine last year that the song ”Damage Control” from Suspended Animation was particularly challenging to play in a live setting. “It’s just a crazy… I’ve said this before — I feel like I’m doing damage control the entire time I’m playing,” he said. “It just has so many weird things about it — time signatures and technical challenges and things. A concentration song, that one.“

Distance Over Time was released on February 22. The disc, which marks the band’s first for their new label InsideOut Music, was produced by Petrucci, mixed by Ben Grosse and mastered by Tom Baker.

The Distance Over Time tour of North America will kick off on March 20 in San Diego, California and will run for seven weeks before wrapping up on May 4 in Mexico City.